It’s always nice when a fine-dining establishment is more intimate than intimidating, as is the case with Tree Room at Utah’s Sundance Mountain Resort. This mountainside restaurant is refreshingly rustic yet has an air of elegance that permeates with leather chairs, wood-beamed walls and ceilings, and an impressive display of Native American art from resort owner Robert Redford’s personal collection.
Oversized windows offer a beautiful view of the property’s postcard-worthy pine-studded setting, which is especially magical when leaves or snow is falling.
Food is considered an art form at Sundance, and Tree Room’s seasonal menu offerings are thoughtfully prepared and beautifully plated. The focus here is on Rocky Mountain cuisine, with locally sourced ingredients such as buffalo and steelhead trout being highlights of the kitchen.
A dessert menu and list of wines, including selections from vintners in Sundance’s Celebrating Wine as Art program, make Tree Room a fine-dining favorite among visitors and locals, too.
Oversized windows offer a beautiful view of the property’s postcard-worthy pine-studded setting, which is especially magical when leaves or snow is falling.
Food is considered an art form at Sundance, and Tree Room’s seasonal menu offerings are thoughtfully prepared and beautifully plated. The focus here is on Rocky Mountain cuisine, with locally sourced ingredients such as buffalo and steelhead trout being highlights of the kitchen.
A dessert menu and list of wines, including selections from vintners in Sundance’s Celebrating Wine as Art program, make Tree Room a fine-dining favorite among visitors and locals, too.
Our Inspector's Highlights
- The Tree Room is located in the base of the Sundance Resort village in Sundance, Utah. Housed in a low-lying, wood-planked building surrounded by pine trees, Tree Room is named as such for the fact that it was literally built around a tree.
- A chief’s robe, kachina dolls and other Native American artifacts from resort founder and owner Robert Redford’s personal collection decorate the candlelit walls.
- The seasonal menus at the Four-Star restaurant focus on hearty mountain cuisine, such as the famous Tree Room pepper steak, and the Sundance Salad, an item prepared with earth-to-table ingredients such as currants and candied pecans.
- The scene at The Tree Room is cozy. From the wood-planked floors, ceilings and walls to the stone-covered fireplace and namesake tree in the dining room, the restaurant is comfortable enough but still elegant no matter what time of the year you visit.
- Warmth radiates from the staff, too, many of whom have worked at the fine-dining restaurant for decades and have a familial rapport with every guest.
Things to Know
- For much of the year, Tree Room at Sundance Resort is open for dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and from 5 to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
- During Quiet Time, the resort’s slower season, the fine-dining restaurant’s hours are reduced (from 5 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday through Saturday).
- Reservations are recommended at the Four-Star restaurant. Keep in mind, that children under the age of 12 are not permitted at this Sundance restaurant.
- Although the name Sundance may conjure up images of glitzy celebrities at a film festival, no black ties are required at the Sundance Resort’s Tree Room restaurant. The resort has a business-casual dress code, and the same goes for the Utah restaurant.
- Don’t forget to wear shoes that are appropriate for mountainside paths, and leave the fancy footwear at home.
The Food
- Chef Daniel Sweisford focuses on crafting Rocky Mountain favorites made from the freshest, local ingredients. Entrées include offerings like dry-aged buffalo, King salmon, striped bass and pepper steak.
- Hearty starters feature global dishes with a local flair—think cappelletti stuffed with rabbit in a carrot crema or octopus paella with new potatoes.
- Seasonal desserts at Tree Room are not to be missed either. Come fall, try a caramel spice cake with apple compote, a pumpkin crostata with ginger crumbs or a chai cheesecake with cranberry gelee.
Getting There
